Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The Prodigal Son- Part 2

Today I am going to explore my life as the runaway son in the story..."Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need." Luke 15:13-14 NIV

When I try and think of the words that would describe my spiritual life lately words like coasting, cashing in all my good graces, lazy, complacent, fake, phony, pathetic, ungrateful, and just plain sinful come to mind. I didn't physically set off to a distant country but mentally and emotionally, I was there. I was anywhere but here and anywhere but with God. Sure, I still prayed occasionally, when I wanted/needed something, but nothing heartfelt, nothing I would be proud to do in front of God. I really just ran on fumes. I know some people who are involved in the ministry feel this way often, it's not unusual, but really, it should be. It's never okay to neglect your walk with God or to forget about building your spiritual life up.

I had been running on fumes until I no longer could. I finally had a breakdown or breakthrough, same thing either way you look at it. I just realized that God is too good for me to be acting so badly. I think I thought I was punishing God for making life unfair, and for doing exactly what the Bible says he will do, give and take away. Well, I was sick of things being taken away all of my life, and I was in a sense rebelling against God. Well, I really showed Him...not really since I am the one who had the breakdown. I was only punishing myself, and doing myself harm, not any good. I found myself in a spiritual famine and I truly became in need of God again.

"I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men. So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:18-20 NIV

How I wish the last part of this verse was true in a physical sense for me. I would love to imagine God getting up from his big chair and running to me, I would probably be crying my eyes out, not making any sense, but he would know what I was saying and he would wipe my tears away, and tell me evertything was going to be okay. A true picture of a father. What I can say is that when I finally repented for my sinful ways, and finally acknowledged I was living a life of a liar, I could still feel God's love all around me.

There are times in life that we try and go our own way, we think we are doing it "the right way." Well, more than likely if God is not involved, you are going the "right way." As the great musicain Toby Mac says "you lose your way, you get back up again, it's never too late to get back up again..." Friends, it is never too late to get back up again, God is always there waiting for you. Run to him and he will run to you.

4 comments:

There are so many days like that for me. I just want to run back physically and fall into Abba Father's arms. Life is hard. I am so glad that I have God to lean on. So glad He is always willing to run to me!